United States Patent 9
`4,736,648
`Perego
`Apr. 12, 1988
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`[54] SPEED CONTROL FOR VEHICLES FOR
`CHILDREN
`
`Inventor: Gianluca Perego, Arcore, Italy
`[75]
`[73] Assignee:
`Peg Perego Pines S.p.A., Italy
`[21] Appl. No.: 27,157
`
`Mar, 17, 1987
`[22] Filed:
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Mar. 21, 1986 [IT]
`Italy sssssscccscsesessssessseessee 21314/86[U]
`(S1J. Mints CUM sssassseasisnsncscien G05G 1/14; B60K 1/00
`[52] US. CM, cecsscesssesseerssensesersssneees 74/474; 74/478.5;
`74/480 R; 74/512; 74/872; 180/65.1; 318/109;
`318/139
`[58] Field of Search ....csssscssee 74/474, 478.5, 480 R,
`74/512, 872, 873; 192/0.098; 180/65. 1;
`318/109, 139
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`846,376
`3/1907 Adams .......cccsecsersesneseerseene 74/480 R
`
`
`3,135,234 6/1964 Turmidge 0...
`eceeseseseane 192/0.098
`
`3/1978 Hammond uu...74/480 RX
`4,077,283
`
`4,639,646
`
`1/1987 Harris et al... 318/139
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`52-53330 4/1977 Japa ceesseccesseseeeeenene 74/480 R
`630496 10/1949 United Kingdom............... 180/65.1
`
`Primary Examiner—Allan D. Herrmann
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—McGlew and Tuttle
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`A speed control for children’s vehicles driven by a
`battery powered electric motor comprises, in combina-
`tion: a first lever that can be moved betweena first
`position controlling low speed power supply and a
`second position corresponding to a high speed, and a
`second lever that can be moved betweena first and
`second position controlling forward and reverse vehicle
`movement respectively. Between the said two levers
`provision is madeforrigid reciprocal connection means
`acting unidirectionally betweenthesaid first and second
`levers so as to take thefirst lever to its first position
`when the secondlever is taken to its second position.
`
`2 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
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`
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`1
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`Mattel Ex. 2002
`Mattel Ex. 2002
`Dynacraft v. Mattel
`Dynacraft v. Mattel
`IPR2018-00040
`IPR2018-00040
`
`

`

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`US. Patent—Apr. 12, 1988 Sheet 1 of2 4,736,648
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`US. Patent
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`Sheet2 of 2
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`Apr.12, 1988
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`4,736,648
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`-1
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`4,736,648
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`SPEED CONTROL FOR VEHICLES FOR
`CHILDREN
`
`2
`Thefeet 20, 21 cooperate respectively with a change-
`over switch 22 and with a reversing switch 23 which
`are part of an electric control circuit which is per se
`known and therefore not shownin detail.
`The change-over switch 22 can be moved between
`The present invention relates to an improved speed
`twostable positions, in which the batteries feeding the
`control for children’s vehicles driven by a battery pow-
`ered electric motor.
`electric motor of the vehicle are connected in parallel
`andin series respectively; the parallel connection (FIG.
`Children’s vehicles of the said type are known which
`2) correspondstothefirst speed (lower) while theseries
`have a speed control comprising a first and second
`connection (FIG. 3) coresponds to the second speed
`speed lever applicable respectively to a gearbox
`(higher). A comparable effect can be obtained by re-
`proper—for example first and second gear—and to
`spective connection of disconnection ofresistors.
`reverse gear.
`The reversing switch 23 is normally in the stable
`Speed controls of such kind suffer from the disadvan-
`vehicle forward direction position (FIG. 2) and can be
`tage that the reverse gear can be engaged bythe chil-
`shifted to the instable reverse direction position (FIG.
`dren while the vehicle is at top speed.
`4), in which the electric motor feed current polarities
`As well as damaging the motor, this causes sudden
`are inverted.
`decelerations and accelerations in reverse gear which
`Characteristically, respective tongues 24, 25 extend
`can result even in seriousfalls.
`radially from the arms 16, 17 of the levers 14, 15; these
`The object of the present invention is to obviate the
`tongues cooperate with each other in the manner de-
`aforesaid disadvantages by embodying a speed control
`scribed below.
`for children’s vehicles in which, when reverse gear is
`When the levers 14, 15 are disposed in the position
`engaged, the gearbox goes automatically into the lower
`shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle moves forward at a low
`gear.
`speed; the gear control lever 14 can be considered as
`To achieve this object the invention embodies a gear
`bottom gear.
`control for children’s vehicles driven by a battery pow-
`If it is wished to increase speed, the lever 14 is moved
`ered electric motor, of the type comprising, in combina-
`to the position shown in FIG. 3 (second gear) so as to
`tion: a first lever that can be moved between a first
`act
`through the intermediary of its foot 20 on the
`position controlling slow speed power supply and a
`change-over switch 22 which places the vehicle electric
`second position corresponding to a high speed, and a
`motorfeed batteries in series connection. In this condi-
`second lever than can be moved betweena first and a
`tion the tongues 24, 25 are adjacent to each other.
`secondposition controlling forward and reverse vehicle
`If the driver of the children’s vehicle decides to en-
`movement respectively, wherein provision is made be-
`gage reverse gear with the vehicle moving at a rela-
`tween the said two levers for rigid reciprocal connect-
`tively high speed, it will be seen that, by moving the
`ing means acting unidirectionally between the said first
`lever 15 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the posi-
`and secondlevers so as to take thefirst leverintoits first
`tion shown in FIG.4, the tongue 25 will act upon the
`position when the secondis taken into its second posi-
`tongue 24, thus causing the lever 14 to shift automati-
`tion.
`cally to the low speed position (bottom gear). This
`The said connection means preferably consist of a
`makes it possible to prevent damage to the electric
`pair of radial tongues projecting respectively from the
`motor and also sudden reverse and forward accelera-
`said two levers.
`tions of the vehicle, which could cause the child to fall
`The structural and functional characteristics of the
`out of the vehicle.
`invention, andits advantages, will become more appar-
`The first and second gear or speed position of the
`ent from an examination of the following description
`lever 14 can be stable and determined by the sameelas-
`referred to the appended drawings, which show an
`tic means that determine the positions of the change-
`over switch 22.
`example of a gear control device embodied according
`to the innovatory principles of the invention.
`Thelever 14, on the other hand, can advantageously
`In the drawings:
`always be shifted by the elastic means of the reversing
`FIG.1 is a front elevation showing a device embod-
`switch 23 into the forward direction position (FIGS.
`ied in accordance with the invention;
`1-3), as soon as the manual action of the child on the
`FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same device as in
`lever 14 has terminated.
`I claim:
`FIG.1 in a first operative position;
`FIG.3 is a partially sectional particular showing the
`1. A speed control for children’s vehicles driven by a
`device in a second operative position; and
`battery powered electric motor of the type comprising,
`in combination:a first lever that can be moved between
`FIG.4 is a particular as in FIG. 3, but showing the
`devicein a third, provisional operative position beforeit
`a first position controlling low speed power supply and
`returns to the same position as is shown in FIG.2.
`a second position corresponding to a high speed, and a
`second lever that can be moved betweenafirst and
`With reference to the drawings, the speed control
`device in question is indicated overall by 10 and com-
`second position controlling forward and reverse vehicle
`prises a box-shaped body11definingaplurality of forks
`movement respectively, wherein provision is made be-
`12, 12, 12 (the intermediate one being in common) to
`tween the said two levers for rigid reciprocal connec-
`which, througha single pivot 13, are pivoted two levers
`tion meansacting unidirectionally between the saidfirst
`and secondlevers so as to take thefirst levertoits first
`14, 15. The lever 14 relates to the gearbox of the chil-
`dren’s vehicle, whereas the lever 15 serves to change
`position when the secondlever is taken to its second
`the direction of the vehicle from forward to reverse
`position.
`(FIGS, 1 and 2).
`2. A speed control as described in claim 1, wherein
`Each ofthe levers 14, 15 consist of an arm 16, 17
`the connection meansconsist of a pair of radial tongues
`whichat one free end has a grip 18, 19 and at the oppo-
`projecting respectively from the said two levers.
`*
`*+
`*&©
`&
`&
`site end a foot 20, 21.
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`5
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`65
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`4
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